Page 78 of King of Ruin

And somehow...

She was now one of them.

A small part of her wondered what else she would accidentally learn before the night ended.

"Xavier."

Amara's voice pulled her attention away.

Elise turned.

Xavier was walking back toward them. But something was different. The calm, controlled expression he had worn all evening was gone.

His shoulders were tense.

His jaw was set.

Even from a distance, Elise could see the irritation written in the tight line of his mouth.

He reached them and released a quiet breath, running a hand briefly over his jaw before adjusting his glasses.

"Isaac Shaw just accepted an offer from another company."

His voice remained even, but the frustration underneath it was impossible to miss.

"If he steps down as CEO of Shaw Watches, the deal I've been working on for months is going to collapse."

Amara's brows pulled together.

"Isaac Shaw?"

Before anyone could say another word, a familiar voice drifted over the music.

"Well...looks like your biggest deal is dead, Mr. Chen."

The group turned as a man emerged from the crowd with an easy, self-assured smile.

Isaac Shaw.

He walked toward them at an unhurried pace, one hand tucked into the pocket of his tailored dark suit while the other adjusted the cuff of his sleeve. His polished shoes clicked softly against the wooden deck, his posture relaxed, almost leisurely, as though he had all the time in the world.

When he reached them, he stopped directly in front of Xavier, a smug smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"I have to admit," Isaac continued, lightly rocking back on his heels, "watching months of hard work disappear overnight is surprisingly satisfying."

Not a single muscle moved on Xavier's face.

Standing with one hand resting inside his trouser pocket, he simply looked at Isaac through the lenses of his silver glasses.

Isaac's smile grew a little wider.

Juliet glanced between the two men before quietly leaning toward Amara.

"He practiced that speech."

Amara hid a smile behind the rim of her champagne glass.

"You think?"